Controllers of this kind are used in practice in order to receive and evaluate or condition and transmit data in bidirectional adhoc-network radio communication. In this connection, WO 2009/074655 A1, which is incorporated by reference, discloses a central control unit which provides the computation power for a multiplicity of connected sensors and applications. This control unit also has communication units provided with antennas connected to it which may have been set up to participate in different data networks. However, there is the drawback that the control unit is of large-scale integrated design and needs to have a very high computation power. Furthermore, the entire onboard electronics and the communication system are disrupted in the event of the central control unit failing.
A similar design for a communication system is known from WO 2009/030522, which is incorporated by reference, in which a communication unit having an antenna is respectively connected to a central computation unit in a vehicle, said central computation unit operating as the central computation unit for the vehicle. The communication unit is set up for vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-surroundings communication. The central computation unit uses the data obtained from the vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-surroundings communication in order to compare them with position data, for example from a satellite positioning system or other vehicle sensors, and to update maps administrated in the vehicle by aligning these obtained data. This also involves the use of position values for the communication partners in the vehicle-to-vehicle communication.
In this connection, WO 2009/133185 A1, which is incorporated by reference, also discloses a self-learning map and an apparatus for creating and storing a digital map of this kind which is created on the basis of ambient sensors, vehicle-to-surroundings communication and satellite navigation systems, without this involving the need to use navigation map data. The digital map is improved iteratively and can be used for checking the validity of an already existing digital map for a driver assistance system. In this case too, a central computation unit with a port to the different sensors is provided.
One problem with these central computation units is the high demand for computation power, which requires the use of complex processors. These computation units are therefore comparatively expensive. In practice, this results in a large number of car buyers deciding against the use of such high-end communication systems. It is therefore desirable to provide systems which provide the necessary computation power when required and can be retrofitted in vehicles as appropriate.